Religionizing Politics

Religion is a pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance.

As a Christian I can, with good conscience, say that I appreciate the separation of Church and State. That being said, I also believe there is intrinsic, moral value to Judaeo-Christian teachings as it relates to the longevity and ethical wellness of a society. Thou shall not kill. Thou shall not steal. Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's house and thou shall not covet thy neighbor's wife. These directives are among the premises outlined in the Bible. Respect for the sanctity of life, adherence to law of the land, practice of self-discipline, and the importance of marital fidelity—some say ‘dogmatic,’ but I say ‘Amen.’

Although the foundation of America was inspired by biblical principles, it should be noted that the Bible is not regarded as synonymous with the United States Code. The Bible does not dictate how Americans should live, as opposed to the Quran in the Muslim world; instead, it acts as a compass. That’s not to say that the basic biblical principles mentioned above shouldn’t act as a moral guide, but, in my opinion, the government has no place in the pews. Government should not have power over the conscience of man and the liberty they possess to think freely.

The more I study politics and observe the trajectory upon which the Democrat party travels, I realize that although there is a general consensus against the merging of Church and State, an important phenomenon subtly and progressively transpires as the country becomes more divided—The religionizing of politics.

When I say the Democrat party is Religionizing Politics, I’m not referring to politics that champion Judaeo-Christian belief; instead, I mean a state where political ideals, beliefs, and affiliations involuntarily, and possibly accidently, translate into a religion all on its own. Remember, religion can be defined as a pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance. A religion does not need a god—it only needs a pursuit of supreme importance.

The paradox that arises with the Left’s religionizing of politics is that there is absolutely no place for heretics in religion whereas politics requires them! History is replete with horrific stories of the Catholic church burning heretics at the stake because they held the wrong ideas. When politics are religionized, political heretics, dissenters, and non-conformists are burned at the metaphorical stake. Words are outlawed, and speech is strictly governed. Even now, showing support for a duly elected President is enough to have you berated, castigated, and physically assaulted. These are the birth pangs of full-blown intolerance where, if left unchecked, political murder could be justified.

As a Christian I can understand the benefits of religion; however, for me, the cons outweigh the pros. Religion is plagued by dogma and the belief that what we do, or do not do, betters our standing before God. Likewise, in religionized politics, virtue signalling, white-hate, and championing certain social causes somehow boosts your credibility. You are praised for vocalizing your disdain and hatred for the President and political opposition, while those who refuse to are publicly shamed into submission. Recently Kathy Griffin called Kevin Hart a p---y for not mentioning Trump in his comedy. She insinuated that since he is a black man he was required to vocalize his hate for the President. A few weeks later at the Video Music Awards, he did.

The reason I single out the Democrats is because the parallels to fascistic, authoritarianism are uncanny—they aren’t identical, but there are startling similarities. Not to mention that the thought fathers of modern Progressivism championed Fascism and viewed it as utopian. Republicans are not calling for censorship, they aren’t stopping political figures from speaking on University campuses, and they don’t demand you view the world as they do.

The left views religion as intolerant, close-minded, derelict of growth, and for the simple-minded—But, they have created a religion of their own. They have sought salvation from those whom they elect and deliver damnation to they who oppose. They view State critics as blasphemers and independent thinkers as heretics.

Those who cry out the loudest for separation of Church and State have inadvertently, and conceptually, bonded the two.

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Jon Saltzman

Editor

Sep 18, 2018

Nice point J. Funny how those calling out for tolerance on the Left are many times the ones who are intolerant of those with religious belief. They then accuse the Right of creating a dystopian society like the one in the "Handmaid's Tale." I believe the psychological term for this is "projection."